Hair dyeing aid

ABSTRACT

A woman&#39;&#39;s hair is held up in small bunches by a novel clamp to permit selective dyeing at the roots. The clamp comprises a plastic shell with resilient plastic opposed members for frictionally clamping a small bunch of hair and for holding it outwardly from the head.

United States Patent Murtha [45] May 16, 1972 [54] HAIR DYEING AID 2,758,604 8/1956 Graf 132/41 R 3,105,501 10/1963 Scotti ..132/9 [72] Inventor: Irene Murtha, 147-20 34th Avenue,

Flushing, N.Y. 11363 22 Filed: Apr 2 9 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner--Gregory E. McNeil] [21] Appl. No.: 130,651 Attamey-A1fred W. Barber [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl ..132/9 [51] A45! U06 A woman's hair is held up in sma11 bunches by a novel clamp 1 to permit selective dyeing at the roots. The clamp comprises a Fleld of Search 1 plastic she" resilient plastic pp d members for fi.

tionally clamping a small bunch of hair and for holding it out- References Cited wardly from the head.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1,442,260 l/l923 Fister 1 32/41 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,767

FIG. 1 FIG. 2

INVEN'I'OR. IRENE MUQTHA HAIR DYEING AID A few weeks after a person's hair has been dyed, it grows out sufficiently to show the contrasting color at the hair roots. If this hair at the roots is then dyed to match the rest of the hair, the uniform impression is restored without redyeing the whole head of hair. Devices have been devised for holding the hair up to expose the hair near the roots for selective dyeing such as the Hair Tinting Device shown in US. Pat. No. 1,637,781. However, such devices have not been completely satisfactory, have been difficult to use and relatively expensive to make.

SUMMARY The device of the present invention comprises a split resilient or flexible plastic shell in one piece formed with overlapping and underlapping clasp and containing two half cylinders of resilient plastic sponge. When the clasp is released the shell springs open and the two opposing surfaces of the plastic sponge are exposed. To use the device, a small bunch of hair is pulled straight out from a persons head and laid lengthwise between the two sponge surfaces. Now, the cylinder is closed gripping the hair and a clasp-such as an underlapping lip on one edge and an overlapping lip on the opposite edge made to act as a clasp can be used to hold it shut. When a number of the aids have been applied holding all the hair up away from the root areas, selective dyeing of the roots becomes an easy matter.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of the'aid in accordance with the present invention as seen from the clasp side in closed position.

FIG. 2 is the device of FIG. 1 as seen from the opposite side.

FIG. 3 is a view of one form of the present invention in perspective and lying open.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a number of the aids in use.

FIG. 5 is an end view of an alternate fonn of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the preferred form of the present invention.

Referring to any of FIGS. 1, 2 or 3 where the same numbers are used to designate the same parts, a plastic shell comprising two half cylinders 1 and-2 joined along an under-cut line 5 be latched shut by clamp 66 of any suitable simple easily released form. Thus, when a bunch of hair is laid along-the inner surfaces of the sponges with the shell open, closing the shell grips the hair between the resilient sponges, holding it fast.

FIG. 4 illustrates my new aid in use. All of the hair in the area to be selectively dyed is formed in to bunches 8 and the bunches are held out of the way by means of a plurality of my new aids 1-2 exposing the hair near the roots 9.

FIG. 5 is a modified form of the present invention in which a rectangular plastic box 10-11 is hinged at 14, contains convex surfaced sponges 12 and 13 and is held in closed position by catch 15-16.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the preferred form of my present invention. The two sides 17 and 18 of the cylindrical aid are joined along a restricted cross-sectional line 19 providing normally open spring action. The underlapping lip 20 and the overlapping lip 21 extend along the opposed edges of sides 18 and 17 respectively and are formed to provide clasp action when the shell is pressed together to hold the device securely closed. This form of the invention may be extruded or molded in a normally open position so that when lip 20 is depressed, the aid springs open to a normally open position such as that shown in FIG. 3.

While not intended to limit my invention, I prefer to make shell l-2, 10-1 1 or. l7-l8 out of resilient or flexible but springy plastic such as one of the polyamides and my inner sponges of resilient plastic foam such as polyurethane. Manufacture may be by any suitable process as by extruding or molding.

It will be seen that my invention is useful to a broad spectrum of users. Since it may be opened or closed with one hand, it is particularly useful to the home user who dyes her own hair. It is also obviously useful to beauticians to whom it represents a substantial saving in time and labor as well as insuring a more satisfactory result.

I claim:

l. A hair dyeing aid comprising in combination;

a one-piece resilient elongated plastic shell formed of two similar half shells and adapted to normally spring to an open position;

equal portions of elastic sponge means cemented inside each of said half shells; and

underlapping and overlapping means respectively along opposite long edges of said shell for holding said shell clasped together in a closed position.

2. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; and

wherein said shell is substantially cylindrical when in closed position.

3. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1;

wherein said shell is formed of a polyamide plastic.

4. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1;

wherein said sponge means is formed of polyurethane.

5. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the outer surfaces of said sponge means are normally convex.

6. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1;

wherein said plastic shell is formed with a restricted area running lengthwise along the median line of said shell. 

1. A hair dyeing aid comprising in combination; a one-piece resilient elongated plastic shell formed of two similar half shells and adapted to normally spring to an open position; equal portions of elastic sponge means cemented inside each of said half shells; and underlapping and overlapping means respectively along opposite long edges of said shell for holding said shell clasped together in a closed position.
 2. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; and wherein said shell is substantially cylindrical when in closed position.
 3. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; wherein said shell is formed of a polyamide plastic.
 4. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; wherein said sponge means is formed of polyurethane.
 5. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; wherein the outer surfaces of said sponge means are normally convex.
 6. A hair dyeing aid as set forth in claim 1; wherein said plastic shell is formed with a restricted area running lengthwise along the median line of said shell. 